PHYS 1401

General Physics I

Chapter 4
Dynamics: Force and
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Newton’s Laws of Motion Image credit: Jin Jang
 Forces
Kinematics only describes the way objects move—their velocity and their acceleration.
Dynamics is the study of how forces affect the motion of objects and systems.
Forces are vectors and should be treated accordingly. Forces can change the velocity of an
object. Forces are the push or pull on an object with a specific magnitude and direction.

Free-body diagram is a sketch

showing all external forces
acting on an object or system.

Isaac Newton (1642–1727) published (a) An overhead view of two ice skaters pushing on a third skater. Forces are
Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica, vectors and add like other vectors, so the total force on the third skater
in 1687. It proposed scientific laws that still is in the direction shown.
apply today to describe the motion of objects
(the laws of motion). (b) A free-body diagram representing the forces acting on the third skater.
 Forces
Other examples of Free-body diagrams.
 Newton's First Law
A body at rest remains at rest or, if in motion, remains in motion at constant velocity unless
acted on by a net external force.

(a) A hockey puck is shown at rest; it remains An air hockey table is useful in illustrating Newton’s
at rest until an outside force such as a laws. When the air is off, friction quickly slows the
hockey stick changes its state of rest; puck; but when the air is on, it minimizes contact
(b) a hockey puck is shown in motion; it between the puck and the hockey table, and the
continues in motion in a straight line until puck glides far down the table.
an outside force causes it to change its
state of motion. Although it is slick, an ice
surface provides some friction that slows If the net force on object is zero, it will have zero acceleration.
the puck.
 Newton's First Law

Some definitions
• Mass is a measure of the amount of matter in something.
[Link]

• Gravitation is the attraction of one mass to another.

[Link]

• Mass is also related to inertia, the ability of an object to resist changes in its motion.
Thus, inertia is the tendency of an object to resist any attempt to change its velocity.

a) all forces on the car must be balanced; the vector sum is 0 N The same force exerted on systems of different
b) the net force must also be zero, car moves with constant velocity. masses produces different accelerations.
 Newton's Second Law
The acceleration of a system is directly proportional to the net external force acting on the
system and is inversely proportional to its mass.

Acceleration is in the same direction as the net external force.

We can also write

or, if only the magnitude of force and acceleration are considered,

Example
Suppose that the net external force
(push minus friction) exerted on a
lawn mower is 51 N parallel to the
ground. The mass of the mower is
24 kg. What is its acceleration?
 Newton's Second Law
The acceleration of a system is directly proportional to the net external force acting on the
system and is inversely proportional to its mass.

Acceleration is in the same direction as the net external force.

We can also write

Anne McClain, left, and Christina Koch demonstrating

Assignment 1 weightlessness during Expedition 59, Image credit: [Link]

Astronauts in orbit are apparently weightless. This means that a clever method of measuring the mass of
astronauts is needed to monitor their mass gains or losses and adjust their diet. One way to do this is to exert
a known force on an astronaut and measure the acceleration produced.
Suppose a net external force of 50.0 N is exerted, and an astronaut’s acceleration is measured to be
0.893 m/s2. Calculate her mass.
 Mass and Weight
The SI unit of force is the newton. Since Fnet = ma

When an object is dropped, it accelerates toward the center of Earth due to gravitational force,
which we call weight.
Fg = w = m g is a special case of Newton’s Second Law
g is the acceleration due to gravity
Weight can be denoted as a vector because it has a direction; down is, by definition, the
direction of gravity, and hence, weight is a downward force.

Assuming the mass of an object is kept intact, it will remain the

same, regardless of its location.
credit: [Link]
However, because weight depends on the acceleration due to
gravity, the weight of an object can change when the object Since g = 9.80 m/s2 on Earth, the weight of a
enters into a region with stronger or weaker gravity. 1.00-kg object on Earth is 9.80 N:

Note: Weight is not an inherent property of an object. Mass is an inherent property. Weight depends upon location.
Example Newton's Second Law
Before manned space flights, rocket sleds were used to test aircraft, missile equipment, and
physiological effects on human subjects at high speeds. They consisted of a platform that was
mounted on one or two rails and propelled by several rockets.
Calculate the magnitude of force exerted by each rocket, called its thrust T, for the four-rocket propulsion
system shown in Figure. The sled’s initial acceleration is 49 m/s2 , the mass of the system is 2100 kg, and
the force of friction opposing the motion is 650 N.
 Newton's Second Law
Before manned space flights, rocket sleds were used to test aircraft, missile equipment, and
physiological effects on human subjects at high speeds. They consisted of a platform that was
mounted on one or two rails and propelled by several rockets.

Assignment 2
 Newton’s Third Law
Whenever one body exerts a force on a second body, the first body experiences a force
that is equal in magnitude and opposite in direction to the force that it exerts.

This law represents a certain symmetry in nature: Forces always occur in pairs, and one
body cannot exert a force on another without experiencing a force itself.
We sometimes refer to this law loosely as “action-reaction,” where the force exerted is
the action and the force experienced as a consequence is the reaction.

When the swimmer exerts a force on

the wall, she accelerates in the opposite
direction; in other words, the net
external force on her is in the direction
opposite of Ffeet on wall.
 Newton’s Third Law
A physics professor pushes a cart of demonstration equipment to a lecture hall. Her mass
is 65.0 kg, the cart’s mass is 12.0 kg, and the equipment’s mass is 7.0 kg. Calculate the
acceleration produced when the professor exerts a backward force of 150 N on the floor.
All forces opposing the motion, such as friction on the cart’s wheels and air resistance,
total 24.0 N.
 Newton’s Third Law

credit: [Link]

Assignment 3
What net external force is exerted on a 1150-kg artillery shell fired from a battleship
if the shell is accelerated at 2.40×104 m/s2 ?
What is the magnitude of the force exerted on the ship by the artillery shell?
 Common Forces
Normal force

(a) The person holding the bag of

dog food must supply an upward
force 𝑭hand equal in magnitude
and opposite in direction to the
weight of the food 𝒘 so that it
doesn’t drop to the ground.
(b)The card table sags when the dog
food is placed on it, much like a
stiff trampoline. Elastic restoring
forces in the table grow as it sags
until they supply a force N equal
in magnitude and opposite in
direction to the weight of the
load.

In scalar form
 Common Forces
if the surface is horizontal. The normal force can be less than the object’s weight
if the object is on an incline.
Example
Consider the skier on the slope
in Figure. Her mass including
equipment is 60.0 kg. (a) What
is her acceleration if friction is
negligible? (b) What is her
acceleration if friction is 45.0 N?

The force 𝑵 is equal in magnitude to 𝑤⊥ , so there is no acceleration perpendicular to the slope.

f is less than 𝑤∥ , so there is a downslope acceleration (along the axis parallel to the slope).
 Common Forces
if the surface is horizontal. The normal force can be less than the object’s weight
if the object is on an incline.
Example
Consider the skier on the slope
in Figure. Her mass including
equipment is 60.0 kg. (a) What
is her acceleration if friction is
negligible? (b) What is her
acceleration if friction is 45.0 N?

(a) What is her acceleration if friction is negligible?

 Common Forces
if the surface is horizontal. The normal force can be less than the object’s weight
if the object is on an incline.
Example
Consider the skier on the slope
in Figure. Her mass including
equipment is 60.0 kg. (a) What
is her acceleration if friction is
negligible? (b) What is her
acceleration if friction is 45.0 N?

It is a general result that if

friction on an incline is
(b) What is her acceleration if friction is 45.0 N? negligible, then the acceleration
down the incline is a = g sin θ ,
regardless of mass.
 Common Forces
When an object rests on an incline that makes an angle θ with the horizontal, the force
of gravity acting on the object is divided into two components.

These equations are easy to derive

The normal force is typically equal in magnitude and opposite in direction to the perpendicular
component of the weight 𝑤⊥ .

The force acting parallel to the plane, 𝑤∥ , causes the object to accelerate down the incline.
 Common Forces
When an object rests on an incline that makes an angle θ with the horizontal, the force
of gravity acting on the object is divided into two components.

These equations are easy to derive

Assignment 4
 Common Forces
Tension
When a perfectly flexible connector (one requiring no
force to bend it) such as this rope transmits a force 𝑻,
that force must be parallel to the length of the rope, as
shown.
By Newton’s third law, the rope pulls with equal force but
in opposite directions on the hand and the supported
mass (neglecting the weight of the rope). The rope is the
medium that carries the equal and opposite forces
between the two objects.
The tension anywhere in the rope between the hand and
the mass is equal. Once you have determined the tension
in one location, you have determined the tension at all
locations along the rope.
For example, if the 5.00-kg mass in the figure is stationary, then its
acceleration is zero, and thus
Common Forces

Example
Calculate the tension in the wire
supporting the 70.0-kg tightrope
walker shown in Figure.

The weight of a tightrope walker causes

a wire to sag by 5.0°. The system of
interest is the point in the wire at
which the tightrope walker is standing.

When the vectors are projected onto

vertical and horizontal axes, their
components along these axes must add
to zero, since the tightrope walker is
stationary. The small angle results in T
being much greater than w.
 Common Forces

We can create a large tension in the chain—and potentially a big mess—by pushing on it
perpendicular to its length, as shown.

Assignment 5
 Solving Problems with Newton’s Laws

Tarzan hanging from a vine.

Arrows are used to represent all forces.

All other forces, such as the force of

wind, are assumed to be negligible.
 Solving Problems with Newton’s Laws
Particle Equilibrium
A particle in equilibrium is one for which the external forces are balanced.
Example
Consider the traffic light (mass of 15.0 kg) suspended from two wires as shown in Figure 6.3.
Find the tension in each wire, neglecting the masses of the wires.

A traffic light is suspended from two wires. (b) Some of the forces involved. (c) Only forces acting on the system are shown
here. The free-body diagram for the traffic light is also shown. (d) The forces projected onto vertical (y) and horizontal (x) axes.
The horizontal components of the tensions must cancel, and the sum of the vertical components of the tensions must equal
the weight of the traffic light. (e) The free-body diagram shows the vertical and horizontal forces acting on the traffic light.
 Solving Problems with Newton’s Laws
Particle Acceleration
Particle acceleration problems are the result of a nonzero net force.

Example
Figure shows a 75.0-kg man (weight of
about 165 lb.) standing on a bathroom
scale in an elevator. Calculate the scale
reading:
(a) if the elevator accelerates upward at
a rate of 1.20 m/s2, and
(b) if the elevator moves upward at a
constant speed of 1 m/s.
 Solving Problems with Newton’s Laws
Particle Acceleration
Particle acceleration problems are the result of a nonzero net force.

Example
Figure shows a 75.0-kg man (weight of
about 165 lb.) standing on a bathroom
scale in an elevator. Calculate the scale
reading:
(a) if the elevator accelerates upward at
a rate of 1.20 m/s2, and
(b) if the elevator moves upward at a
constant speed of 1 m/s.
Assignment 6
Calculate the scale reading when the
elevator accelerates downward at a rate
of 1.20 m/s2.
 Solving Problems with Newton’s Laws
Newton’s Laws of Motion and Kinematics
Newton’s laws of motion can be integrated with other concepts that have been discussed previously to
solve problems of motion.
Example
A soccer player starts at rest and accelerates forward, reaching a velocity of 8.00 m/s in 2.50 s. (a) What
is her average acceleration? (b) What average force does the ground exert forward on the runner so that
she achieves this acceleration? The player’s mass is 70.0 kg, and air resistance is negligible.

Image credit: [Link]